As New Terra boosts its naval prowess, it has become more comfortable with pursuing its territorial ambitions.

New Terra's economic and political influence now straddles the Universe

"Will New Terra invade it's neighbors?"This is a question I tend to be bombarded with whenever I present lectures or attend talks on Gamma Quadrant affairs. From Kaan to Elizabeth, one can sense the growing anxiety towards New Terra's growing interstellar influence. As a result, people have begun to pay more attention to New Terra's military budget than it's trade and investment relations with the developing nations of the Galaxy.

In the battle-stricken Mojave System many merchants have been complaining about New Terra's allegedly opportunistic business practices, whilst industrialists and consumers have raised concerns over the macroeconomic and safety implications of cheap imports from New Terra. In the GCS, many are worried about their country's ability to defend itself against a rising New Terra, with the ongoing dispute on the border in the Elizabeth system sparking a national debate over proposed revisions of the military budget to allow increased defensive spending and greater military development.

Even in countries such as Valkar, popular views towards New Terra have turned dramatically negative, particularly due to ongoing spacial disputes in 05M. Worryingly, the antipathy towards New Terra has assumed even an ideological flair, with many Valkarian - including many top-level officials I have come across - rehashing familiar rhetoric seen before in the 'Cold War' disputes between the USC and SRoZ with New Terra being seen as a historically aggressive imperial power to the 'South'.

After all, recent years have seen a noticeable shift in New Terra's regional posturing. In the immediate aftermath of the recent USC fuel crisis, which precipitated a somewhat dramatic economic downturn across Alpha Quadrant Governments, many Gamma Quadrant neighbors have woken up to a different New Terra - one that is more vocal about it's interests, and more capable of asserting them. No wonder many are worried that the Gamma Quadrant will once again turn into a tragic site of 'great power politics'.

In Kaan and other Gamma capitals, the initial coup against a perceived warmongering Emperor was met with skepticism and even relief.

These continuing events seem to put a damper on the commonly espoused narrative by the New Terran military, and many say political, leader William Talbot who in the past prominently explained:

"New Terra does not subscribe to the notion that a country is bound to seek hegemony when it grows in strength."

Irregardless, more and more people are embracing the views of certain prominent USC political scientists who have consistently argued that New Terra's rise will not be peaceful, because New Terra, like any other great power in history, will strive to dominate it's own region. In the end, New Terra might manage to win the hard battle against it's weaker neighbors and a wobbly USC. But this would come at the expense of decades of hard-won Terran soft power, especially among many developing countries that have come to admire New Terra's economic success and it's contributions to a stable interstellar order.